Eye in the sky

HOUSTON - Deana Waddell has gone from photographing kids in living rooms and senior portraits in the park to hanging out of an airplane, shooting pictures for a wide variety of commercial clients.

Waddell bought Pro Aire Photography from its original owner early this year. With the business came its airplane, a Cessna 172. Since video photography is being requested more, and video shot out of an airplane tends to be bumpy, Waddell also got a drone. She has her drone license but contracts out to other drone users as well. By law, drones can only go up to 400 feet above the building it is photographing, while planes can only come down to 1,000. As of now, Waddell does 90 percent plane photography and 10 percent drone. Who requests Pro Aire’s services? Commercial and residential real estate agents; commercial construction developers who want monthly, in-progress shots; landmarks and sports stadiums; office buildings; shopping centers and malls; business and industrial sites; roofing companies. You name it - Waddell will shoot it. Waddell goes up in the Cessna two - three times a week for four - five hours at a time. “I love it,” she said. “I love being up in the little airplane. I love opening the window and taking the picture.” Waddell would like to get a second airplane for move coverage. She has gone as far as Padre Island to the south and Dallas to the north. A second plane would expand her availability. When Pro Aire started over 20 years ago, there were no drones and the pictures were shot on film. Now, with digital photography and drones, the sky’s the limit for Waddell and Pro Aire. Pro Aire Photography is an aerial photography service, based in Houston. -dsz